


The Mannequin Who Wasn't

by reylocalligraphy



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bikini - Freeform, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, I wish every store manager was like Ben, Mannequin, Meet-Cute, Reylo - Freeform, Shopping, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Why are clothes so EXPENSIVE
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-28 06:33:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16236146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reylocalligraphy/pseuds/reylocalligraphy
Summary: Without thinking, her hand stretched out, fingertips grazing the hem of the flannel—so soft, so warm under her touch—“What the hell are you doing?” the mannequin growled.When Rey goes shopping, she reaches out to feel a mannequin’s jacket. She quickly finds out that the mannequin is, in fact, not a mannequin, but rather a flesh-and-blood man.





	The Mannequin Who Wasn't

**Author's Note:**

  * For [diasterisms](https://archiveofourown.org/users/diasterisms/gifts).



> This fic was inspired by this [Tumblr post](http://vampirevvekend.tumblr.com/post/45375122176/one-time-at-hm-i-thought-a-guy-was-a-mannequin-so) that diasterisms showed us. I thought it was perfectly Reylo, so enjoy this short oneshot!
> 
> Thank you to [Polkadotdotdot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polkadotdotdot/pseuds/Polkadotdotdot) for beta’ing this for me!

 

The fresh dollar bills in her jean pocket _burned_.

 

Her buttock felt like it was set ablaze with a roaring flame. With every step, she could feel the paper crinkle, distinctly aware of its presence. Rey marched ahead, proud and triumphant of her newly-earned money.

 

No, she was _not_ going to spend her week’s income, she told herself.

 

No, she was _only_ glossing past the windows.

 

No, she would _not_ let her eyes dart into a shop and roam. And her body would _not_ follow.

 

Rey sighed. Deep in her heart, she knew she was a liar, and always has been; why would this time be any different?

 

* * *

 

Her shiny, new cash treaded alongside her as Rey strolled into a department store. A radiant grin bloomed as she inhaled the sight—a carousel of color, fabrics in every shade and style; lavender overlaid with wine red, blue and neon pink. Summer was about to begin, so the store exploded with appropriate clothing for the upcoming season and sunshine.

 

The magnetic force of the department store inevitably drew her in. Like a kitten chasing a red laser light, she pounced at the first item she saw - a cute leopard print bikini. And it hung from the clearance rack too!

 

Rey grasped for the hanger, her nimble fingers prying its info tag with the swift deftness of a sailor tying a mast.

 

A cursory glance of the bolded numbers had her heart sinking into her stomach like a stone—no, not a stone. More like a _boulder._

 

“Three hundred freaking dollars!” Rey yelped. “For this scrappy piece of fabric?”

 

She pivoted the hanger, to find that only two crossing threads connected the back. The bikini bottom consisted of a string-like band and a tiny triangular patch; together, they would… show off a woman’s derriere _much_ more than cover it up.

 

She huffed in irritation, her veins pulsing with fury at the deceptive nature of the store. Some _clearance_ item that was!

 

Rey knew what she needed to do—she was going to talk to the manager if it was the last thing she did. She would file a verbal complaint so aggressive, the manager better be reduced to _tears_ —

 

_Ohhh, but that may need to wait._

 

A glimpse of green caught her eye. Her head rotated to enjoy the full view of a mannequin—quite a tall mannequin, may she add, like an overgrown tree she would have climbed as a child—donning a checkered plush green flannel shirt, unbuttoned with a white shirt peeking out underneath. The mannequin’s artificial muscles strained underneath the tight shirt, emphasizing the broad shoulders and outward chest.

 

She couldn’t help but advance forward, like a thirsty desert scavenger on a search mission for water. Her eyes, unblinking, roamed the mannequin’s physique, his perfect posture; his beautiful clothing; the plastic muscles she could run her hands over for days. Without thinking, her hand stretched out, fingertips grazing the hem of the flannel— _so soft, so warm_ under her touch—

 

“What the hell are you doing?” the mannequin growled.

 

Rey froze. Terror pulsed cold through her veins, nestling deep in her stomach.

 

The mannequin turned to face her, his hands tightly gripping his flannel jacket away from her reach. “ _Don’t_ _touch me_.”

 

The fear that had seized Rey’s body vanished, transforming into confusion lined with light anger. Still reeling from the fact that the most handsome mannequin she had ever seen in his life was not, in fact, a mannequin, but a _flesh-and-blood_ man, she opened her mouth to speak.

 

“I—I thought you were a mannequin!” she stuttered.

 

He clenched his jaw. “I’m clearly _not,_ ” he seethed. The man’s brows furrowed, the brown in his eyes blazing with roaring flames of fury. “You think this is funny, don’t you? Well, I don’t find harassment to be funny—”

 

“Oh goodness, no!” Her eyes widened at his horrifying accusation. “I swear, I really thought you were a mannequin. I’m sorry. I was interested in the shirt, and I just—assumed—that only a mannequin would have a body like yours.”

 

His cheeks flushed a dark scarlet. An unreadable expression danced across his face, his gaze piercing her soul with a smoldering intensity. Finally, he bobbed his head in a forgiving nod.

 

“Alright. Just, please don’t do that again.”

 

Rey furiously nodded. Her instincts had overtaken her rationality, and she was not allowing that to happen again.

 

“I owe you an apology too,” he sighed, his voice much more tender and soothing. “I didn’t need to yell at you. I work here—that’s why I was standing here—and it’s been a long day.”

 

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

 

His lips stretched into a grateful smile at hearing the genuine sympathy in her voice. “Four kids attempted to shoplift today. Four!” he huffed. “That last kid—a red-haired six-year-old—he was a real jerk. He pranced around like he owned the place, thinking he could take anything he wanted, since his father also works here.”

 

She suddenly remembered her goal, before she was distracted by the mannequin hunk. “Do you think you could take me to see him?” she asked, assuming that the mentioned boy’s father worked at a high position. “I wanted to complain to the manager about something.”

 

“Oh?” His lips rounded into a curious circle. “And what may that be?”

 

Rey lifted the hanger upwards. His gaze automatically followed, widening as he noticed the bikini dangling limply.

 

“I found this hanging on the clearance rack,” she stated, “when it is actually three hundred dollars! That is an absolutely unacceptable price for a bikini piece like this, much less for clearance.”

 

His brows drew taut, wrinkles creasing on his forehead. “Hmm, that is quite unreasonable. I am sorry you had to go through that, Ms. ...?”

 

“My name’s Rey,” she quickly uttered. “Just Rey.”

 

“Nice to meet you, Rey.” The corner of his lips tugged into a small smile. “I’m Ben.”

 

“Ben,” she tested out his name in her mouth. It sounded kind, almost homely; a swirl of familiarity shrouded the three letters. “It’s great to meet you too.”

 

“Of course. I’m actually the manager here, so we will definitely look into this and check all the items on the clearance rack. And you can have this for free if you’d like.”

 

Rey’s chin jerked upward in shock. “Oh, you don’t need to do that—”

 

“Take it as an apology gift, on behalf of the store, and on myself. Since I yelled at you quite harshly.” Then, his lips stretched into a smug grin. “It would look much nicer on you than on the clearance rack that it definitely doesn’t belong to.”

 

Her eyebrow quirked upwards at his bold words. “Well then, I suppose I’ll have to,” Rey responded, matching his smirk. “Though perhaps I need an audience for it?”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy birthday Thea!!! Thank you for being such a kindhearted, supportive soul to me, not to mention your own top-tier talented writing that has brightened many of my days. Thank you for everything, and I wish you the most wonderful year ahead <3
> 
> If you liked this Reylo fic, please consider checking out my other works [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reylocalligraphy) ^_^  
> Come say hi to me on Tumblr ([@reylocalligraphy](https://reylocalligraphy.tumblr.com)) and Twitter ([@reylocallig](https://twitter.com/reylocallig))!


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